The present invention relates to apparatus for replenishing the supplies of filter rod sections in the magazines of filter processing machines, especially in the magazines of filter tipping machines. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus for manipulating filter rod sections wherein machines which process filter rod sections receive such sections by way of pneumatic senders serving to admit rod-shaped articles into pneumatic conveyors which, in turn, deliver the articles to the magazines of the processing machines.
It is already known to transport filter rod sections from a maker to a processing machine by resorting to a pneumatic sender which cooperates with a pneumatic conveyor, and to a receiver at the discharge end of the pneumatic conveyor. The sender has a propelling unit which delivers filter rod sections into the inlet of the pneumatic conveyor wherein the sections move axially, and the receiving unit is provided with means for changing the direction of movement of successively delivered filter rod sections from axial movement to sidewise movement preparatory to and during introduction into the magazine of the processing machine. The just discussed systems for delivery of filter rod sections from a maker to a processing machine are used in preference to older systems which employ so-called chargers or trays. The systems which employ chargers exhibit a number of drawbacks, especially as regards their bulk, the cost of the chargers and other equipment, as well as the number of chargers which are needed to accumulate and maintain a requisite supply of articles between the maker and the processing machine. Moreover, the trend is toward the establishment of complete production lines, i.e., a manufacturer of filter cigarettes prefers to set up several lines wherein one or more machines produce filter rod sections, wherein one or more machines produce plain cigarettes, and wherein one or more filter tipping machines combine plain cigarettes with filter rod sections to form filter cigarettes of desired length. The use of chargers in such production lines is cumbersome; therefore, the chargers are on the way out, at least in the majority of tobacco processing plants.
It is often desirable to install a reservoir system between one or more makers of filter rod sections and the pneumatic sender to thus ensure that the sender can receive filter rod sections for a reasonably long interval of time if and when the maker breaks down or is intentionally arrested by the attendants. The reservoir system (e.g., a system known as RESY and manufactured by the assignee of the present application) can compensate for differences between the output of a maker of filter rod sections and the requirements of one or more processing machines, especially filter tipping machines. Moreover, the reservoir system can serve as a depository for filter rod sections during the interval of curing which follows the making of filter rod sections and must precede the conversion of such sections into filter plugs of cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped smokers' products. The provision of reservoir systems is desirable on the additional ground that the output of a modern filter tipping machine is very high (normally in the range of one hundred cigarettes per second) so that the utilization of a reservoir system ensures that the filter tipping machine can operate for a reasonable period of time subsequent to deactivation or a slowdown of the producing machine or machines. The magazine of a filter tipping machine is much too small to store a reasonable supply of filter rod sections so that, in the absence of a reservoir system or another relatively large source of supply of filter rod sections, the filter tipping machine would have to be shut down in immediate response to stoppage of the associated filter rod making machine or machines. As a rule, the supply of filter rod sections in the magazine of a filter tipping machine merely suffices to compensate for extremely short interruptions in delivery of fresh filter rod sections from a maker, either directly or by way of a reservoir system.
U.S Pat. No. 3,397,922 discloses an apparatus which is designed to pneumatically convey cigarettes to packing machines. FIG. 1 of this patent shows the magazine of a packing machine and four receivers each of which is connected with one of four senders by a discrete pneumatic conveyor. The senders are grouped into sets of two senders each, and each such set is associated with a discrete cigarette maker. If one of the cigarette makers is out of commission, the packing machine continues to receive cigarettes from two senders, i.e., from the other cigarette maker, so that the packing machine continues to operate but its output is reduced in half. The specification of the aforementioned patent further discloses the possibility of utilizing a total of eight receivers which serve to supply cigarettes into the magazine of a packing machine, and of associating each cigarette maker with four senders. This would appear to render it possible to combine four packing machines with eight cigarette makers by resorting to a total of thirtytwo pneumatic conveyors in such a way that each packing machine receives cigarettes from each of the eight cigarette makers. Thus, if one of the cigarette makers is out of commission, the output of each of the four packing machines is reduced by one-eighth.
The proposals in the aforediscussed patent are unrealistic in view of the well known fact that pneumatic transport of cigarettes at speeds which are required in a modern filter tipping or packing machine is not contemplated by the manufacturers of smokers' products due to the impossibility of avoiding damage to and/or extensive deformation of cigarettes which are transported in pneumatic conveyors and treated in senders and/or receivers at the rate of one-hundred or more per second. Furthermore, and if the teaching of the aforediscussed patent were transferred into the field of processing filter rod sections of the type used in the manufacture of filter cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos, one would be confronted with the very difficult task of placing eight receivers at a level above the magazine of a filter tipping machine wherein the magazine is normally located at a level well above the floor. Moreover, the incorporation of the teaching of the aforediscussed patent into the production lines for filter cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos (hereinafter called filter cigarettes for short) would bring about the drawback that the incapacitation of a single filter rod making machine (which, by following the patented proposal regarding cigarette makers and cigarette packing machines, would have to be associated with four filter tipping machines) would entail a reduction of the output of four filter tipping machines. This is not in keeping with the best mode of operation of modern filter tipping machines which should be kept running at the full operating speed irrespective of eventual problems in connection with the operation of associated filter rod making machines and/or in connection with the delivery of filter rod sections.
Another important difference between production lines including cigarette makers and associated packing machines on the one hand, and production lines including filter rod making machines and filter tipping machines on the other hand, is that a packing machine can process the output of several cigarette makers whereas a filter rod making machine can satisfy the requirements of several filter tipping machines. Thus, it is neither simple nor close at hand to incorporate the features of a production line embodying cigarette makers and associated packing machines in utterly different production lines wherein filter tipping machines receive the output of a filter rod making machine.